Number of bends in a service entrance run

dalepresFebruary 13, 2011

There is no way to get from the pole to my main panel in 4 or less 90-degree bends. The pole is on one corner of the mobile home and the meter is on the other.

So I have from the main disconnect down under ground and one 90 to go to the far end of the mobile home. A second 90 to turn along the end. A third 90 to come back up along the back side, a fourth to go back under the edge of the home and the 5th to go up into the new main breaker.

The only other possibility is to tunnel/bore from the front of the home to the back under neath the crawl space.

Or, I have to have a junction box somewhere.

So, with a disconnect on the pole, and the rest PVC conduit underground, what are my other options?

If you go to 3" conduit and use 3' sweeps (long radius) you could do what your wanting with little problem. Anytime you have more than 3 sweeps the cable pull starts to go up dramatically. It could physically be pulled with 2" pipe without much problem but if the wire ever needed to be replaced it might be near impossible. If you go with 3" it should allow for cable replacement.

You could add a Main disconnect exterior load center on the outside of the house.
This would give you the option of distribution outside for future loads, garage, hottub, A.C. This will also take care of your problem with more than 360 degrees in a single run.